Subsea wells are expensive to drill and install completion equipment. In cold climates and shallow water some problems have been encountered due to damage to the subsea wellhead equipment due to iceberg scouring and as a result of anchors, anchor lines and fishing nets, lines and equipment being dragged over a subsea wellhead.
Efforts have been made to protect subsea wellheads by excavating the bottom, placing the wellhead equipment in the excavation and providing domed cover to be placed over the wellhead to protect it. This type of solution is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,247,672. Several different structures have provided for removable guide bases as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,464,489, 3,559,754 and 3,321,015. Such patents do not suggest a low profile tree system and do not teach or suggest any height reduction by the removal of the guide base.